History

Silicosis has been recognized for over 400 years as a disease caused by exposure to silica (sand). Despite clearly understanding the danger, sand companies continued to sell their products while failing to warn their customers. As a result, thousands of people who worked in sandblasting and other occupations were negligently put at risk for contracting some form of silicosis.

Silicosis is a preventable illness. With proper respiratory protection and adequate safeguards, no one should ever contract this disease. Unfortunately, many silica companies ignored these simple preventive measures and failed to protect workers exposed to airborne silica dust.

• In 1917 the U.S. Public Health Service pointed out the high incidence of silicosis in foundry workers.
• In the 1930s, scientific and industrial journals began featuring articles that detailed the hazards of silica exposure.
• In 1936, the U.S. Department of Labor convened a National Silicosis Conference to discuss exposure to silica and protections for workers, including respirators and ventilation.
• In 1949, England banned the use of crystalline silica sand as an abrasive blasting agent.
• In the early 1970s, NIOSH recommended that sand be replaced by something else as an abrasive for blasting operations and established the 1974 NIOSH Criteria for a Recommended Standard, Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica.